Religious Notes | AdventAI

S. D. A. Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Sep 7, 1882

FromThe Signs of the Times, Vol. 8, No. 34; Special Edition, No. 1

Religious Notes.

—The National Christian Association will hold its fourteenth annual convention at Batavia, N. Y., Sept. 12 to 14.

—President Washburn, of Robert College, Constantinople, thinks that “the churches of America are losing their interest and faith in foreign missions.”

—Dr. Morgan Dix, of New York, favors the revision of the Book of Common Prayer, and the insertion of more new prayers. He favors prayers for the dead in the burial service.

—And now the Christian Union, seemingly without any compunctions of conscience, speaks of the doctrine of conditional immortality as a “mischievous doctrine.” What mischief has it done, friend?

—The Protestant Episcopal Church in Massachusetts is trying to secure the doing away of the pewed system in all their church edifices throughout the State, and the introduction of the free system instead.

—The Jewish Record says: “When we pray for the welfare and prosperity of our country, we do not end our prayer with the words, ‘May the Redeemer come to Zion,’ for we want no Zion and no Redeemer.”

—A new Methodist church has been built at Grand Rapids, Mich., but the Presiding Elder, who was sent for, refused to dedicate it. The debt was not all provided for, and he said he had promised God not to dedicate any more due bills, mechanic’s liens, and mortgages.

—In answer to the call made by the Lutheran General Council, five young pastors have come from Germany to work among their countrymen here. Seventy young men from the Missionary Institute at Sleswick, Prussia, have volunteered themselves for similar service.

—The Rev. Sylvanus Hayward, of Globe, Mass., declares that the increase in divorce in that State is not due to greater laxity in the laws, but to an enormous increase of wickedness among the people; and he holds that the remedy must be found in an improvement of their morals.

—We see it suggested in a certain paper that the reason why the “orthodox” churches have so many D. D.s is because their “divinity” needs a great deal of “doctoring.” And we notice that after having “suffered many things of many physicians” it is “nothing bettered,” but is weaker than ever.

—Satan’s existence and personality are inseparable. We can no more think of an impersonal devil than of an impersonal man. The Scriptures represent him as talking, planning, seeking, coming, going, tempting—things which could not be predicated of a mere figure of speech.—Herald and Presbyter.

—On the invitation of the vicar, a thousand members of the Salvation Army attended service in the parish church of Oldham, on Sunday last. The clergy of the Established Church are doing all they can to conciliate the respect and friendship of the Army; and Primate Tait has sent General Booth a check for £5.

—Here is a significant fact, reported by a correspondent of the Christian World, who is making the tour of the world: “I have not seen anywhere, even in Turkey, Egypt, or India, among the Mohammedan or Hindoo women a single happy or hopeful face.” It is only where the religion of the Bible prevails that happy women are found.

—The Golden Censer, commenting on Beecher’s heretical article in the North American Review, says of him: “But he would not be Henry Ward Beecher if he did not go into many extravagances, for the sake sometimes of the sonorous sounds they make, but oftener over and beyond bounds by his enthusiasm over the one idea in his mind at the time.”

—In a speech at Mansfield, O., Senator Sherman said that over the temperance and the Sabbath (Sunday) questions there is an irrepressible conflict which must be met. Governor Foster said: “If we were disposed to put these issues in the background, we could not do it. I have never known so much feeling on any public question since I have been in politics as there is upon this one.”

—The Independent did not speak with its usual candor when it said that “the Adventists believe the war in Egypt to be the result of the failure of the angel of the Revelation to hold the four winds.” We know of no class of Adventists that believe any such thing. Contempt for the doctrine of the coming of our Lord will sometimes lead even the most candid to make groundless assertions.

—A Free-Thinker’s Convention was held at Watkins, N. Y., last week, and the members solemnly resolved that they as a class were responsible for all the comfort, refinement, and good morals which distinguish this generation. And now it is in order to inquire what institutions of charity or learning they have endowed. One of Mr. George I. Seney’s $25,000 checks will weigh more in the scale of public opinion than all the “Liberal” resolutions in the world.

—The Jewish Times has an article on “Egypt and Prophecy,” in which it predicts that the prophecy of Ezekiel will be fulfilled by England taking the complete control of Egypt. Of Turkey it says: “Turkey ought to be eliminated entirely from the Egyptian problem. The fiction of her sovereignty has been maintained long enough, and it will pass away. The outgivings of the British Premier and the utterances of the London Times foreshadow this result.”

—A correspondent of the S. S. Times gives an account of a Sunday-school near Atlanta, Georgia, that was organized in 1831, and has been continued summer and winter ever since. The only vacation taken was a few weeks in 1864, when Sherman’s army was encamped in the place. The first Superintendent was in office eight years, till his removal from the county; the second occupied the position twenty-five years, till his removal from the county. We would be glad to hear more of the history of that school.